Fire escape device



Feb. 10, 1959 I H 2,873,055

FIRE ESCAPE DEVICE Filed Nov. 28, 1955 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3 K 4 Jasepfi H. Hill 25 I N VEN TOR.

FIRE ESCAPEDEVICE Joseph H. Hill, Frankfort; Ky.

Application November 28, 1955", Serial No. 549,310

Claims. (Cl; 227'-'30) This invention generally relates to a fire escape device and more specifically provides. a lowering device having a flexible cable adapted to be attached to a body supporting sling wherein the speed of descent of the weight on. the cable or the speed of unwinding of the cable actuates a brake means for slowing down the speed of descent or the speed of. unwinding of the cable.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fire escape device including an'improved construction whereby persons may be lowered from the windows of burning buildings without danger inasmuch as the speed of descent of theperson is automatically adjusted to a given speed since brake means. is. provided responsive to the speed of descent wherein any increase in speed will be reflected in. an increase in the braking action thereby retarding the downward movement.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a fire escape device having a hydraulically actuated brake means for retarding the lowering of a person by the device with a positive displacement pump being positively driven from a cable reeling device together with an expandable piston. responsive to the pressure exerted by the positive displacement pump for increasing or decreasing the braking action of a brake band on a brake drum in direct proportion to the speed of. descent of the. person or' the speed of unwinding of the cable.

Other objects of the. present invention will reside in its simplicity of construction, ease of operation, safety features, adaptation for its particular. purposes and its relatively inexpensive manufacturing costs.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and: operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a front view of the fire escape device of the present invention attached adjacent a window opening of a building;

Figure 2 is a group perspective view of a sling together with the lower end of the cable and, the interconnection means for attaching the sling to the cable for supporting a persons body;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially through the center of the device;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the device;

Figure 5 is a schematic view of the hydraulic system of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a detailed end view of the hollow reel hub or axle for receiving the handle for manually rotating the same;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the handle for operating the reel for winding the cable thereon;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially United States Patent upon a plane passingalong section line 8-8 of Figure 3. g

. 2,873,055 Patented Feb. 10, 1959 illustrating the relationship of the brake drum, brake band and the expandable piston for actuation of the brake band;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 9-9 of Figure 3 illustrating the gears for driving the fluid pump;

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line Ill-1i) of Figure 3 illustrating the relationship of the pump and the closure plate therefor; and

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 1111 of Figure 3 illustrating the construction of the fluid pump.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the fire escape device of the present invention which is adapted to be attached to a supporting hook 12 on a window frame 14 adjacent a window 16 of a building construction 13. Any suitable supporting device may be utilized and any suitable sup porting hook or similar device may be employed.

Thefire escape device lil includes a generally U-shaped bracket 20 having an eye bolt 22 screw threadedly engaged with the central portion thereof with the eye bolt 22 having an eye member 24 exteriorly of the bracket 29 for engagement with the hook'12.

Attached to each end of the U-shaped bracket 20 is a pair of supporting or hearing blocks 26 which are secured in rigid relation by fastening bo1ts'28 extending through the outer horizontal ends of the bracket 20 and screw threaded into the bearing blocks 26. For purposes of clarity, the outer horizontal ends of the u shaped bracket 29 are provided with reference numerals 30 and the screw threaded socket in. the bearing blocks 26 are provided with reference numerals 32, wherein several of the fastening members 28 may be provided as being necessary for securely fastening the bracket 20 to the bearing blocks 26 and retaining the bearing blocks in rigid relation. Enclosing the top, the rear and front sides as well as the upper portions of the sides of the device 10 is a casing or housing 34 which is retained in position by alock nut 36 screw threaded on the eye bolt 22 and engaging the upper surface of the top portion of the casing 34. Thefront and rearportions of the casing 34 are positioned over headed screw threaded fasteners 38 wherein the. casing 34 is retained in rigid relation to the bearing block 26.

One of the bearing blocks 26' is provided with a socket 40 extending inwardly from the inner surface thereof wherein the socket 40 is provided with a bushing type bearing 42. journaling a reduced end 44 of a transverse shaft 46. The major portion of the transverse shaft 46 is larger than the bearing bushing 42 and extends into a bearing bushing 48 in a transverse passage 50 in the other of the bearing blocks 26 wherein the transverse shaft 46 is journaled in the bearingblocks 26. The end of the shaft 46 extending through the other of the bearing blocks 26 is provided with an inwardly extending longitudinal passage 52which has av transverse pin 54 extending therethrough for receiving a cylindrical projection 56 on one end of a handle 58 that is provided with a hand grip 60 on the other end thereof wherein the cylindrical projection 56 and the hand grip 60 extend in opposite directions from the major projection of the handle 58. The cylindrical portion 56 is provided with a transverse slot 62 adapted to be received over the pin 54 wherein the pin 54 is received within the slot 62 so that rotation of the handle 58 will cause complemental rotation of the shaft 46 when the; handle 58 is disposed with the cylindrical projection 56itelescopically received within the passage 52 and the pin 54 is received within thev slot 62.

Mounted on the shaft 46 between the bearing blocks 26 is a reel or spool generally designated by the numeral 64 and including a central cylindrical hub portion 66 having a pair of circular plates 68 at each end thereof for forming a reel for winding a flexible cable 70 thereon. The spool or reel 64 is rigidly secured to the shaft 46 by any desirable means and the end of the cable 70 is inserted through an opening 72 into the passage 52 in the hollow shaft 46 and is tied into a knot designated by the numeral 74 thereby securing the cable 70 to the reel 64 for unwinding and Winding thereon. The free end of the cable 70 is provided with a detachable loop member 76 having a screw threaded connection 78 with the cable 70 for engagement by a snap hook 80 on an endless sling or harness 82 for positioning under the arms of a person to be lowered by the cable 70 wherein the snap hook 80 permits easy attachment and detachment of the sling 82.

For retarding the movement of the reel 64 and the unwinding of the cable 70 therefrom, a circular brake drum 84 is rigidly mounted on the shaft 46 by a set screw 86 and the brake drum 84 is provided with a pcripheral surface 88 which is flat and is intended as a brake drum.

Extending from one bearing block 26 adjacent the upper corner thereof is a pin 90 pivotally mounting the U-shaped end 92 of a brake shoe 94 having a brake band 96 secured in the inner surface thereof by rivets 98. The brake band or lining 96 may be of any conventional construction employed in brake linings which offer sufficient frictional resistance but also is relatively long wearing and resistant to overheating. The brake shoe 94 as well as the brake band or lining 96 is arcuated in substantially the same shape as the periphery 88 of the brake drum 84 and extends about a portion of the periphery thereof for engagement therewith to frictionally retard the rotational movement of the reel 64 and to retard the unwinding movement of the cable 70 from the reel 64.

Provided in the bottom of the one bearing block 26 immediately under the brake drum 84 is a vertical passage 100 which is cylindrical in shape and slidably receives a piston 102 therein. The passage 100 communicates with and terminates at the outer surface of the free end of the brake shoe 94 and the piston 102 is provided with a spherical upper end 104 for engagement with the peripheral surface of the free end of the brake shoe 94 for urging the brake shoe 94 towards the brake drum 84.

An O-ring seal 106 is provided in the upper end of the passage 100 for sealing the piston 102 in relation to the vertical passage 100 to prevent discharge of pressurized fluid between the piston 102 and the passage 100. The bottom end of the passage 100 is closed by a removable plug 108 which permits removal and/or replacement of the piston 102 or any parts thereof. The piston 102 together with the cylindrical passage 100 actually provides a fluid pressure actuated piston and cylinder arrangement for applying and releasing the brake band 94 to decrease or permit increase of the speed of rotation of the reel 64 during unwinding of the cable 70.

A transverse passage 110 is provided in communication with the vertical passage 100 and the fasteners 38 extend into the outer ends of the transverse passage 110 and form a closure therefor. Each of the fasteners 38 is provided with a reduced inner end portion 112 slidable within a counterbored portion 114 of the passage 110 wherein this counterbored portion 114 is in communication with fluid conduits 116 and 118 wherein the fluid conduit 116 is an inlet conduit while the conduit 118 is an outlet conduit and by adjusting the screw fasteners 38, the rate of flow of the fluid through the passage 11!! may be controlled thereby controlling the movement of the piston 102.

Mounted on the other end of the shaft inwardly of the reduced end 44 is an enlarged gear 120 having gear teeth 122 thereon which is in meshing engagement with a gear 124 mounted on a stub shaft 126. The stub shaft 126 extends through a closure plate 128 and is rigidly secured to a pump impeller 130. A pump casing 132 is mounted in a recess 134 in the other bearing block 26 and the closure plate 128 forms a closure for the pump casing 132 and is detachably secured to the bearing block 26 by fasteners 136. The impeller is provided with a plurality of radially and inwardly extending notches having vane members 142 movably mounted therein and resiliently urged outwardly against the inner surface of the casing 132 by spring members 144.

The bearing block 26 is provided with a vertical pas-.

sage 146 in communication with the discharge passage 118 and provided with a closure plug 148 at the lower end thereof. A horizontal passage 150 interconnects the vertical passage 146 with the interior of the pump casing 132. Forming a discharge for the pump casing 132 is a vertical passageway 152 having a closure plug 154 at the upper end thereof. The passageway 152 is in communication with a horizontal passageway 156 having a closure plug 158 at the outer end thereof and the horizontal passageway 156 is in communication with a vertical passageway 160 having a closure plug 162 at the upper end thereof and being in communication with the conduit 116 at the lower end thereof. The conduits 116 and 118 actually extend between the bearing blocks 26 and are in communication with relatively. short passageways in the blocks 26. Also, it is noted that the upper end of the passageway 146 is provided with a removable plug 164 having a lock nut 166 thereon wherein this plug may be easily removed for replenishing the supply of fluid within the hydraulic system to assure proper actuation of the hydraulic pump device.

In practical use of the present invention, the fire escape device 10 is supported adjacent to window opening 14 so that a person may position himself within the sling 82 and hook the sling 82 to the lower end of the cable 70 and be safely lowered to the ground to permit escape from a burning building. Inasmuch as the weight of the person will tend to accelerate his descent towards the ground and increase the rate of unwinding of the cable 70 from the reel 64, the retarding device is provided which includes the brake drum 84 mounted rigidly with respect to the reel 64 together with a brake shoe 94 having brake lining 96 thereon for frictional contact with the surface of the brake drum for retarding the brake drumm since the brake shoe 94 is fixed to the bearing block 26. For the purposes of actuating the brake shoe 94, a hydraulic or fluid pressure actuated piston and cylinder arrangement is provided together with a fluid pressure pump for expanding the piston which is in contact with the free end of the brake shoe 94 for urging the shoe into engagement with the brake drum. The pump is a positive displacement vane type and circulates the fluid or liquid through a system of passages and conduits to the piston for expanding the piston. Means is provided for adjusting the responsiveness of the piston to actuation of the pump for varying the characteristics of the lowering device. Also, in view of the positive drive of the pump and the positive displacement of the pump, application of the brake means will be directly in response to the speed of descent of the person being lowered by the device. As the speed of unwinding of the cable 70 increases, the rate of rotation of the pump will increase thereby increasing the force exerted on the piston for increasing the force exerted on the brake shoe and brake drum for retarding the reel 64. After the cable 70 has been unwound, the handle 58 may be utilized for rewinding the cable 70 to the desired position. Also, the fluid supply may be periodically checked and replenished by removing the filler plug 164 and adding additional fluid to the fluid system.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in'the art; it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A fire escape device comprising a mounting bracket adapted to be attached to a support, a reel rotatably mounted on said bracket, a flexible line wound upon said reel, means on the free end of the line for attachment to a person to be lowered by unwinding the line from the reel, brake means for said reel for retarding rotation of the reel thereby retarding the rate of descent of the person being lowered, said brake means including a brake drum secured to said reel, a brake band mounted on said bracket for engaging said drum, and means for urging the band into frictional contact with the drum, said last named means including a fluid pressure actuated piston and cylinder arrangement, a fluid pump supplying pressured fluid to said arrangement for expanding the piston against the band for forcing the band into frictional engagement with the drum, said pump being driven from said reel, said pump being of the positive displacement type whereby the fluid pumped and the pressure exerted against the brake drum by the band is directly responsive to the speed of rotation of the reel and the speed of descent of the person being lowered thereby controlling the speed of descent of the person being lowered.

2. A weight lowering device comprising a rotatably supported reel having a flexible line connected therewith for winding and unwinding, the unwinding of the flexible line permitting lowering of a weight under the influence of the force of gravity, brake means selectively connected with the reel for applying braking force thereto for retarding the rate of rotation thereof, and means driven by said reel for controlling the brake means for varying the braking force exerted thereby in response to the rate of rotation of the reel.

3. A weight lowering device comprising a rotatably supported reel having a flexible line connected therewith for winding and unwinding, the unwinding of the flexible line permitting lowering of a weight under the influence of the force of gravity, brake means selectively connected with the reel for applying braking force thereto for retarding the rate of rotation thereof, and means driven by said reel for controlling the brake means for varying the braking force exerted thereby in response to the rate of rotation of the reel, said brake means including a brake drum connected with said reel, and a brake shoe selectively movable into frictional engagement with said drum,

said control means including a positive displacement fluid pump connected with the reel and communicated with a source of fluid, and a fluid motor communicated with the pump and having power output means connected with said brake shoe for moving the brake shoe in relation to the brake drum in response to the speed of rotation of the reel.

4. A fire escape device adapted to be supported in elevated relation to the ground level comprising a stationary support bracket, a rotatable reel mounted on said bracket, a flexible support line connected with said reel for winding and unwinding in relation thereto, means on the end of said line for connection to a body to be lowered from an elevated position to the ground level, mechanical brake means for retarding rotational movement of the reel, and fluid pressure means for applying and releasing the mechanical brake means, said fluid pressure means including a fluid pump connected with the reel for rotation thereby whereby the scope of actuation of the mechanical brake means will vary in direct accordance with the rotational speed of the reel during unwinding of the flexible line thus controlling the unwinding rate of the line.

5. A fire escape device adapted to be supported in elevated relation to the ground level comprising a stationary support bracket, a rotatable reel mounted on said bracket, a flexible support line connected with said reel for winding and unwinding in relation thereto, means on the end of said line for connection to a body to be lowered from an elevated position to the ground level, mechanical brake means selectively interconnecting the stationary bracket and reel, a'fluid pressure pump driven from the reel, a fluid motor operated in response to the pump, said fluid motor having an output connected with the brake means for applying the brake means and varying the force of application of the brake means in response to rotational speed of the reel during unwinding of the flexible line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 374,596 Gray et a1. Dec. 13, 1887 516,116 Roper Mar. 6, 1894 716,109 Rodde Dec. 16, 1902 859,266 Ulery July 9, 1907 2,416,801 Johnson Mar. 4, 1947 2,553,090 Holley May 15, 1951 2,646,964 Andrews July 28, 1953 2,703,219 Henshaw Mar. 1, 1955 

